February 7: Summary Executions in an Environment of Anarchy

Although the rebel forces failed in their attempt to take over the capital and thus establish their rule over the country, their efforts were not without effect. As a result of the fighting in the capital city, the forces of law and order have broken down in the Chadian capital.
Things were bad in the past, and were gradually getting worse, but now there is no one...
- to arrest a murderer and give him due process under the law,
- to prevent soldiers from taking a vehicles and possessions away from innocent civilians,
- to issue visas or driver's licenses,
- or to give permission for acts of service to be accomplished in this needy nation.

The Celtel tower in N'Djamena was burned down, and the roads to N'Djamena from the east, south or north are closed for fear of highway robbery. This is an article by Amnesty international about civilians being summarily executed in N'Djamena by unknown forces in military uniforms. We do not know whose army these people represent, or even if they represent an army. Please pray for those who have stayed behind in Chad to do the "Lord's work," be they missionaries, pastors, development workers or civilians looking to fill a need with their business.

Amnesty International, February 7 2008:
"Amnesty International is alarmed at reports of extra judicial killings of civilians by armed men in Chad. The organization has called on the Chadian government to take urgent action to prevent extra judicial executions in the aftermath of clashes between rebel and government forces.

"We have received information that on 6 February at least three men were allegedly executed by members of the Chadian army. The dead bodies of these men were dumped in the river Chari. This morning, their bodies were reportedly picked up by agents of the Chadian administration" said Tawanda Hondora, Deputy Programme Director for Africa at Amnesty International. The identity of the three men is not known but it is thought they belong to the same ethnic community as the armed opposition groups which carried out attacks on the capital, N'Djamena, over the weekend.
"We are extremely concerned that the Chadian authorities are about to start a major witch-hunt against people perceived as belonging to the armed
opposition groups," said Tawanda Hondora."

Full article:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/chad-authorities-must-act-prevent-extrajudicial-executions-20080207